Improvement in fifth-wheels for vehicles



P; LaBELLE. FIFTH WHEELS FOR VEHICLES.

Nof177.942. Patented. May 30,1876.

AV /mm.

N.FETER5, PHOTO-UTNOGRAFHER. WASHINGTON. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT Grrron.

PAUL LA BELLE, OF MONROE, IOWA:

IMPROVEMENT IN FIFTH-WHEELS FOR VEHICLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. I 77,942. dated May 30, 1876; application filed February 11, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL LA BELLE, of Monroe, in the county of Jasper and State of Iowa, have invented an Improved Fifth-Wheel for Vehicles, of which the following is a specification:

The object of my invention is to increase the base of the bearing-surface of' a fifth-wheel, and thereby hold the vehicle more steady, and at the same time be free to turn more readily and at shorter angles. It consists in two plates, of corresponding size and form, each plate having two arcs or segments of a circle, varying in size, and concentric to each other,

' mounted in such a manner that their common center is in rear of the front axle of the carriage, all as hereinafter fully set forth.

Figure 1 of the. drawing is a perspective view of the top plate, upon which the box or body of the vehicle is designed to rest.

a-is the rear end and smaller arc. b is the front end and larger are or segment. The two arcs a and b are connected by arms or branches 0 c. d is a T- form plate and brace in the rear and small end of the plate. f is a bolt-hole, and the common center of the two concentric arcs a and I), through which a bolt is designed to pass and pivot the carriage'box or body to the running gear of the vehicle. 9 is a vertical flange on the front edge and under side of the front are I). This flange is designed to lap over the edge of the under plate, and form a bearing that will aid in keeping the two plates in their proper positions, as required to mutually support each other, and to prevent vibration of the plates and wabbling of the vehicle. Transverse broken lines h h indicate the crossbars or "frame-work of the box or body, to which this upper plate is rigidly attached in any suitable way.

Fig. 2 is a view of the under plate, having part broken away to show the boss, designed to be rigidly secured to the running gear. (The broken lines as :10 indicate the position of the front axle.) This under plate corresponds in size and form with the upper plate; (illustrated by Fig. 1;) but it has no flange on its front end and large arc b.

k is a boss on the under side of the central hole f through which a bolt is passed to pivot the two plates together. An annular groove around this bolt-hole in the one plate, and a corresponding bead or rim on the other plate, forms a pivotal, central, and circular bearing for the complete fifth-wheel. m is a vertical flange on the rear and top edge of the are a of this under plate, designed to lap over the edge of the upper plate, and to coact with the flange g on the upper plate in securing the advantageous results contemplated by my enlarged base and bearing-surface of a fifth-wheel. The broken lines 3 y indicate the relative positions of the two plates when the vehicle is turning a short angle.

The two plates composing my fifth-wheel may be cast in complete pieces, and made malleable and sufticiently strong; or they may be formed of wrought metal, in any suitable way, and vary in size as desired for vehicles PAUL LA BELLE.

Witnesses:

W. E. CONNER, J OHN MACE. 

